Ren Louie’s Kidlit Books

Indigenous author, Ren Louie (left) is set to release an adaptation of his book for younger audiences, about his childhood journey of connecting with his culture through a drum gifted by his mother.” FULL STORY

 

Okanagan author reading

January 08th, 2021

Two Okanagan authors, Hannah Calder (right) and Michael V. Smith will read from, and discuss their work virtually at an event to be held in Nelson’s Oxygen Art Centre on Wednesday evening, January 27.

Calder has written two novels, most recently Piranesi’s Figures (New Star Books, 2016). She has also published poetry and short fiction in various literary journals. Born and raised in Great Britain, she now teaches English and writing for Okanagan College.

Smith’s books include a collection of poems, Bad Ideas (Nightwood, 2017), and the memoir My Body is Yours (Pulp Press, 2015). His films include the 2019 NFB short documentary, The Hook Up, about gay men from different generations. As a drag artist and clown, he has presented at many cabarets and festivals, including the Vancouver Fringe Festival, the Vancouver Comedy Festival, and internationally in the Netherlands and Germany. He teaches in the Creative Studies Department at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Michael V. Smith

Oxygen Art Centre, at 320 Vernon St. (alley entrance), is an artist-run centre that nurtures contemporary professional practices while engaging the wider community through multi-disciplinary programming. A short film featuring Calder and Smith, accompanied by a piece on addiction by the latter, is available on Oxygen’s website.

The event begins at 7 p.m. Those interested in attending the event need to R.S.V.P. by emailing info@oxygenartcentre.org. Attendees will receive the Zoom link and accompanying event information once they R.S.V.P. The event is free and everyone welcome to attend. Donations are encouraged: $2 – $5 via Oxygen’s CanadaHelps page.

Other author readings in the 2020-2021 series at the Centre include memoirists Kate Braid from Victoria and Vera Maloff from the West Kootenay’s Shoreacres on Feb. 24; and UBC Okanagan author Matt Rader along with students from Selkirk College’s creative writing courses on March 24.

Alongside the virtual events, the Author Reading Series presents W. Mark Giles’s Making Light: Pandemic Winter, a digital presentation of daily haiku poems available on Oxygen’s website and social media channels.

The Author Reading Series is co-sponsored by Nelson’s Elephant Mountain Literary Festival.

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